1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pull out cup and can holder to receive and retain a coffee cup and a beverage can at first and second sets of openings formed through first and opposite ends of the holder. The cup and can holder is particularly useful in moving vehicles (e.g. boats, and the like) where it is necessary to restrain cups and cans that are subjected to turbulence and other mechanical forces during operation of the vehicle.
2. Background Art
A passenger in a moving vehicle sometimes finds it desirable to have access to a beverage. During certain occasions, a hot beverage such as coffee, tea or soup is desired. On other occasions, a cold beverage such as a soft drink or beer may be desired. However, in the case where the vehicle is subjected to turbulence, a cup or beverage container placed on a table or other flat surface may be susceptible to movement, whereby the fluid contents are spilled. By way of example, both power boats and sail boats experience pitching, turning and other mechanical forces that are caused by interaction with the elements. With nothing to restrain a beverage container against movement, the forces transmitted to the boat will typically cause the container to slide or roll away from the user, such that the container may even fall off the surface on which it has been placed.
Hot and cold beverages are usually drunk from containers of different sizes and shapes. For example, a cold beverage is often stored in an aluminum can and a hot beverage is poured into a cup or mug. Vehicle mounted cup and can holders have been known in the past. However, many conventional holders are adapted to retain either cups or cans of a single size. Consequently, the flexibility and desirability of these holders are limited because the user will not have ready access to both hot and cold beverage containers of different sizes. Other cup and can holders are relatively complex so as to be characterized by high manufacturing cost and the need to make alterations to the surface on which they are mounted.
It would therefore be desirable to have available a relatively low cost, easy to use cup and can holder that will restrain cups and cans of different sizes and be installed below almost any flat mounting surface without the requirement of making substantial alterations to the surface.